Hi

Myself, husband and four children, 16, 14, 11 and 4 moved to oz from yorkshire 8 weeks ago. Having travelled across and up Australia via Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane have eventually settled in Buderim. If I can be of any help to any of you or answer and questions ( I remember what we felt like back in the UK before we moved).

I am sure you will be inundated with questions, when you get a chance post an 8 week summary for us wannabees, welcome to expats!!!!!!!!!!

Is it sunny & do you 'ave a big ' ouse?!?!?!?!?!?


Only kidding , glad to hear you have found somewhere you like (well I guess you do anyway, perhaps you hate it here!), Im just down the road in the heaving metropolis of Brisbane. Im sure other people will want to ask questions, I think tina is still chasing info on schools on the sunshine coast. If you want to ask questions or find out info about the area dotty is your local contact, if you are lucky you will get an invite to one of her tupperware parties soon .

Thanks for the welcome

Will give you a brief summary!!

Originally intended to live in Adelaide as we have relatives there, beautiful place, but not for us (wanted year round warm weather). Sydney was fabulous, stayed with friends did all the sights etc, but still not for us. Brisbane warmer! a wonderful city (we felt that we were getting nearer, not that we are fickle or anything!!), stayed on the peninsula at Newport and were going to settle there. The children all came down with a virus, left them in bed and hubby and I decided to travel up to the Sunshine Coast (raining!) and take a look at Maroochydore (I had stayed there 9 years ago) came upon Mooloolaba and then Buderim. Instantly we knew this was the place we wanted to settle (and that was in the rain), never been happier.

Brings back good memories.

My girlfriends grand parents live in Mooloolaba and she has other family in Buderim.

Both nice areas of the Sunnshine Coast in my opinion.

TT

Hi Amanda

We are looking at the Sunshine Coast/Brisbane and hope to be out there Jan/Feb 04. What are the schools like where you are? How big is Buderim? How have you found the emmigration experience in general?

Would love to hear more!!

Amanda!!

Hi Amanda
We stayed in Mooloolaba this time last year for 5 weeks had an excellent time. Came home to Blighty beginning of Nov what a come down. We are heading out to Sunshine coast hopefully at the end of October if the house is finally completed
Congratulations on your choice
Debbie

Great to hear from you.

We are heading your way beginning of Jan. Have you any info on schools state or private. We are thinking of settling between Caloundra and above.

Great to hear that you love it out there. When did you arrive and are you renting or buying?

When we visited Buderim for the day we called in at an 'open house viewing' and got talking to the Real Estate Agent, she had moved up from Sydney where all her children had attended private schools. The waiting lists at all the private schools up here were full for her kids years so she sent her children under recommendation to Mountain Creek 'primary' and high, she told us not to waste our money on the private schools and that Mountain Creek was one of the top schools in qld, and oz. Well with 4 kids and one 16yr old who had just got his gcse results and knows what subjects he needs to do in yr 12 to go onto uni etc we thoroughly researched the schools, went to Mountain Creek had meetings with the deputy heads and couldn't be happier. The older 2 have places for all their subject choices and Scott has exemptions in year 12 due to his gcse's (by the way in the uk children went to private and grammar schools) yrs 10,11,12 start at 7.30 - 1pm, yrs 8,9 - 10.30 - 4pm. Kids start school on Monday, very excited so will let you know how they get on.

11 year old going to Buderim school for 1 term, then on to High School, as the house we are renting is not in the catchment area for Mountain Creek Primary, Buderim also an excellent school. Beware catchment areas for the schools here are set in stone. We have just bought a low set house in the catchment areas for both schools (4 yr old will start pre-school end of Jan for 2.5 days and full time 2005) she is at "Aussie Kids" Nursery in Mountain Creek for 3 days a week at the moment, loved it from day one.

Asked the kids today if they had "any regrets" or ever felt like they wished they were still in the UK - a resounding NO!!!!

Amanda, interesting about the catchment areas, I was under the impression there werent any here. We live near Manly & had our choice of about 6 primary schools to send our kids to, we picked one which wasnt the closest & had no trouble. There are even kids at our school from 20 kms away (parents work in the area I think), & when we enrolled ours we hadnt yet moved into the area (15kms away) & no one even questioned us. Very strange! Perhaps it only applies in "country" areas or if there are limited schools in a certain area?

Sorry tina, I think I told you otherwise!

Best thing to come out of Buderim??

The packets of crystalised ginger. I loved the stuff! Could'nt get enough of it

The thing that surprised me most when we went to Buderum for a day trip were the pinapples. I did'nt know they grew like that (not sure what i was expecting really, up in trees i guess).

My nephew has a pineapple farm at Bundaberg ... I think it was on Dagboys list of things he would miss if he went back to the UK LOL.

It certainly is. I still find it cool to see exotic fruit just growing there in the ground. Also, having tried picking them, I have enourmous respect for the pineapple pickers. The plants have nasty jagged spiky leaves and when I tried I ended up with scratches all up my arms. My nephew walks through the rows in his bare feet :scared: and comes out unscathed. I think he must just be really tough (or maybe mad )

Oops - sorry - not trying t hijack the thread towards pineapples.

Talking of Buderim, I did work with a Pom who lives there and commutes to Bris - he has a larger/cheaper house than he could get closer, but he has a longer commute. He used to leave very early in the morning. I am not a morning person, so that was never realy an option for me.

Myself and wife are moving to the Caloundra area next April 2004 we have 2 small children 3 & 5....
Any info on schools would be great

Thanks for all of the advice.
I have looked up Mountain Creek on the internet and it does sound pretty good. The only thing that concerns me is the size of it over 2000 pupils! Apparently they are split into 4 sub untis which should make it more managable.
Dotty also recommended this school so I will definitely be paying it a visit when it re-opens in Jan.

I am still getting conflicting advice on the years the kids will go into though. Son is in yr 8 now birthday in Sept will he go into year 8, 9 or 10 in January? He is bright and has been in the gifted and talented programme over here. I don't want him to stagnate if the work is too easy, rather move him to a year above.

I have found lots of info on Queensland Ed site but no structure of birthdates and year enteries.

Also youngest is 4 (July birthday) is in Reception here and has spent a year in full time Nursery Prep school. Any ideas if he will be able to start full time in Jan.

Mrs Dagboy, I already knew about the catchment areas so don't worry.